From Screen to Paper: Digital BL Manga Now in Print!

From Screen to Paper: Digital BL Manga Now in Print!

by Lys ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

As an American manga reader, I can say with confidence that many others here in the US love and prefer print manga. With the majority of digital purchases of media only granting a license rather than ownership, there are a few concerns. Access to digital media can be easily revoked from platforms when a license expires, and platforms themselves can disappear. Manga and comics in general have been no exception to this.

But even with BL’s popularity, it would be impossible to license and print all the titles out there! There are some digital-only titles have been licensed for print release by American publishers. But some digital publishers have also joined in print publishing! Today, I will introduce two different Japan-based manga publishers who have a handful of titles now in print. I briefly mentioned them in my post Who is Publishing BL in English? but am excited to talk about them a little more.

First off is Animate International (not to be confused with the online store with the same name). The company is a part of the Animate Group and primarily works in importing overseas goods and film distribution. But in 2021, they began to publish titles digitally in English with their first announcements being Kabukicho Bad Trip and Lala’s Married Life. They partner with a few different publishers, especially those within the Animate Group, such as libre and Frontier Works. Their digital titles are available across multiple Japan-based and US-based platforms, giving readers flexibility to choose. While they have no official website, their linktree lists all their available titles. They have a great selection of titles, and I highly recommend checking their works out! Some of my favorite digital titles from them include Breathless Momentum by Zeniko Sumiya, Dear My Killer Tune by Iyada, and Kimi no Sumire: Your Spring Flower by Arashi Arima.

At Anime Expo 2023, they announced their first print release. Since then, they have released 6 titles in print, with their most recent being the first volume of the popular Tashiro-kun, Why’re You Like This? For multi-volume titles, so far only the first volumes have been released at this time. Animate International’s titles are primarily available to purchase through Animate’s international and US stores, Kinokuniya USA, the Crunchyroll Store, and Amazon. Outside the US, some of their titles are available in Canada through the shop The Beguiling.

Here are their list of titles available in print:
♡ Living with Him by Toworu Miyata
♡ Mask Danshi: This Shouldn’t Lead to Love Vol. 1 by Mitsuru Sangou
♡ Love and the Highly Sensitive Person by Chimi Sarukawa
♡ Countdown to Yes by Roji
♡ Kabukicho Bad Trip Vol. 1 by Eiji Nagisa
♡ Tashiro-kun, Why’re You Like This? Vol 1. by Yamada

Next is Manga Planet/Futekiya, a digital publisher and platform owned by FANTASISTA. Futekiya is the BL branch of Manga Planet, which used to be a separate site and subscription until it merged with Manga Planet’s main site in 2023. Now it has both a subscription plan (Manga Planet Pass) and points to purchase works. Some titles are available in full through the subscription, while others are point purchase only. Some are available through both the subscription (either in full or in part) and point purchase.

I’ve personally really enjoyed the selection of Futekiya titles on Manga Planet since I heard about it last year. It’s a service I recommend for new BL fans, as the Pass gives access to a great amount of titles at an affordable rate. Midnight Bookstore by Tacocasi, the Pornographer (along with its prequel and sequel) by Maki Marukido, Perfect Propose by Mayo Tsurukame, and City Lights Birthday by Chika Hongo (available in print!) are some titles I’ve enjoyed. While most of the Futekiya titles available with the Pass are from 2023 and earlier, there have been some additions in the last year and a half, such as Color Collection by Tomo Serizawa. I’ve only used the current Manga Planet site, but I’ve heard great things about the old Futekiya one. I even heard there was a blog with some author interviews and posts on BL information, which I would have loved to see!

In 2023, Manga Planet announced they would begin printing some titles. Since then, they have released 14 titles in print, all but 1 being Futekiya titles. While some of the Manga Planet/Futekiya titles are currently exclusively available to purchase from Kinokuniya USA, they have been expanding distribution to other stores, including international ones. Their list of printed books is available here, along with a form for booksellers interested in carrying their books and a form for print requests.

As I mentioned on Twitter (X), I feel like they are not as well-known outside those who are already fans of BL, so I wanted to highlight them in this post today! Both publishers had their books available at Anime Expo this past weekend and have attended the convention in past years, so happy to see they have a presence there. I look forward to seeing what new titles they will bring digitally and to print. I also hope to see them have greater distribution for their print books. I know I’m fortunate to live in the US and have a local Kinokuniya, but I feel for international fans who wish to support them but cannot as easily.

And since they aren’t distributed in the same way as larger publishers, I’m not sure how libraries can acquire some of these books! Regardless, I filled a patron purchase request form and we’ll see if it goes through in the coming weeks. I also wonder what the feasibility is to have their digital works on platforms such as Hoopla or Libby (though this is more for Animate International rather than Manga Planet, since those titles are mainly locked to the platform.)

Regardless, I’m glad these publishers took the chance to print their titles and wish for their continued success! I own a few books from both publishers and am waiting for some to come in as I write this. (I plan to write about some of these in the future too!)

Thanks for reading, I hope this was informative. If you’re a BL fan and haven’t checked out the publishers yet, I definitely recommend it. Both have a range of sweet to spicy works so there’s something for everyone.

See you next time!

A Quick Introduction to Chill Chill and the BL Awards

A Quick Introduction to Chill Chill and the BL Awards

by Lys ♥ 1 Comment

In a few of my posts, I mentioned some titles have ranked in the 2025 Chill Chill BL Awards. So today I’ll finally talk about them!

In short, Chill Chill is a database and community site dedicated to BL. (Please note the site is all in Japanese.) Users can browse recent releases, rate and review them, discover titles through extensive filters, read author and artist interviews, log your bookshelf, and more! Users can also choose their favorite authors, artists, and works. This information in turn can be used to find recommendations through their BL Sommelier service, which does utilize some type of AI. Chill Chill also has several social media accounts outside their main site.

Please Note: Chill Chill has non-explicit mature content on the site.

The top of Chill Chill’s front page.

On their front page, they list the top 10 rated works over the last 10 days, with options to change the time range. This ranking is determined by how many ratings the work has received in that time. While there’s a primary focus on commercial BL manga, Chill Chill’s extensive database also includes novels, drama CDs, and doujin/self-published works. It also includes some non-BL works and works translated into Japanese, such as M/M novels like Captive Prince.

Today’s top 10 ranking for manga, and top 5 for novels and drama CDs.
Licensed manga titles include:
♡ Our Dining Table: Seconds, Please! (#1) – Seven Seas
♡ PUNKS TRIANGLE stitch 1 (#2) – this sequel actually isn’t licensed as of now, but Seven Seas licensed the prequel
♡ Kitayama and Minamiya 5 (#5) – Seven Seas
♡ My Beautiful Man 5 (#8) – Tokyopop

Now, the BL Awards is an annual event that ranks the top works of the previous year, primarily focusing on manga. This only includes commercial BL works that were released as a volume/tankobon. For 2025, they also have categories for best webtoon, novel, and drama CD. Ratings on Chill Chill determine which works are nominated, and then users vote over the course of about 10 days. The results were then released in April, showing the top 20 for most categories. As long as they have a Chill Chill account, anyone can vote! The page is mostly in Japanese, but there are some parts of the site that have translations available.

The top 3 Best Overall Comics:
🥇 Noumi-senpai no Benmei – Not licensed
🥈 You Should be the One to Come Kiss Me – Renta! (Digital only)
🥉 My Noons and Midnights are For You – Tokyopop; Releases Nov 2025

While I mentioned the BL Sommelier service earlier, these people can actually become a Chill Chill certified BL Sommelier through an exam! This exam is in two parts and offered once a year! The exam has a 1.4% pass rate, with only 36 of 2,508 test takers becoming certified BL Sommeliers as of 2024. The next exam takes place in October of this year. Sommeliers work with Chill Chill for a variety of online projects and events, now including the Chill Chill BL Awards! The BL Sommelier Recommendation category was a new category for this year, where Sommeliers nominated and voted on works. As this is not based on general popularity in comparison to the other categories, I hope they continue to have this category in future BL Awards.

Titles licensed in English in this category are:
♡ My Instructor Won’t Yield (2nd Place)- Kodansha; Releases Aug 2025
♡ Yotsuya Ghost Night – Tokyopop; Releases Oct 2025
♡ My Cute Teacher – Renta! (digital only)

While Chill Chill is primarily for Japanese audiences, they have begun to connect with international fans. Their English X (Twitter) account has been growing over the last year. It’ll be interesting to see what they’ll do in the future! Japanese and international audiences in general do have different tastes, but Chill Chill and the BL Awards is still a valuable resource to those who are interested in the Japanese BL world.

To be honest, I would adore an English version of Chill Chill. But with the cost of hosting a database and website and then maintaining, it is rather costly. There was a project called Ouendan Blue that was similar to Chill Chill for English licensed BL but unfortunately ceased updating a few years back. (The site seems unreachable now too.) General English manga and anime databases like anilist and MyAnimeList already exist, so I am unsure of the need. (I personally would love to participate in making one dedicated to BL manga…)

To end this post, I will refer to two more blog posts from Renta!’s BLog for further reading on Chill Chill. Renta! in Japan is a well-known e-book platform, and the English version of Renta! differs a bit from the Japanese site, as it’s not only a platform but a digital-only English publisher as well. And while the Japanese site has all genres, the English site focuses more on romance and BL. The BLog is run by the localization team and a neat resource for information on BL culture within Japan, which I feel is rarely available in English! Note: There may be discussions of mature content on the BLog.

ChillChill BL Awards 2024, and their Importance in the BL Landscape
♡ Gives an overview and history of Chill Chill and the BL Awards

We Attended the ChillChill Fujoshi Seminar!
♡ Introduces Sandias, Chill Chill’s parent company and their BL market research
♡ Discusses Sandias’ seminar that focused on international fans and BL

Last edited: 2025.07.16

Old-Fashioned Cupcake (+ with Cappuccino) by Sagan Sagan

Old-Fashioned Cupcake (+ with Cappuccino) by Sagan Sagan

by Lys ♥ 1 Comment

EN Title: Old-Fashioned Cupcake
JP Title: オールドファッションカップケーキ
Author/Artist: Sagan Sagan
Publisher: SuBLime
Publisher Rating: Mature
Status: Complete (2 volumes, second volume is subtitled with Cappuccino)

Content notes: Sexual content (really only seen in the extra chapters)

BL featuring men in their forties and above (sometimes includes late thirties too haha) is a subset of the BL genre, sometimes called “ojisan BL” (おじさんBL) or “oyaji BL” (やBL), from what I’ve see on ebook sites and social media. Depending on the person, ojisan BL can include a story between an age-gap couple between a younger and older man. For others, they must both be middle-aged or older men. While not as popular in Japan, it’s much loved by English-speaking fans. In English, the equivalent term is “old man yaoi”, which has gone viral online. I am very much a fan of this sub-genre, and I find Old-Fashioned Cupcake to be a great story to introduce it.

Synopsis
At work, many admire the popular and reliable Nozue. Approaching forty, he remains unmarried and lives a simple and routine life and has no plans of changing it. Togawa, his subordinate who is ten years younger, one day convinces him to try something different: to hang out like teenage girls. So the two begin to visit various spots popular with young women. As they become closer and closer, their conversations become more personal. When Nozue learns Togawa likes someone, the atmosphere changes and Nozue becomes aware of his changes. Togawa eventually admits the one he’s in love with is Nozue, who too recognizes and eventually accepts his own feelings. In with Cappuccino, the two have been happily dating for six months. But when Nozue’s friend and coworker recognizes Togawa wearing one of Nozue’s old ties, the Nozue begins to fear for their relationship. He especially worries about what would happen to Togawa if others learned about the two. He puts distance between them, but he learns how his one-sided decisions hurt Togawa. Togawa also wishes to find a solution, and he eventually decides to take a new job in order to grow. The two reconcile their thoughts on a trip, and they move together in the end.

Review
Old-Fashioned Cupcake wonderfully tells the story of a man who slowly learns to embrace new changes in his life. In the beginning, Nozue is resigned to live his routine life, believing himself too old for things like romance. His self-deprecating attitude makes him resist both his growing attraction to Togawa and realization that he himself is Togawa’s crush, seen in his thoughts. But in the panels, Sagan Sagan hints at Nozue’s true feelings through his expressions until Nozue finally admits it to himself. One of my favorite things about comics as a medium is the way artists can stretch or crunch time within a page and give feeling through its visuals. I also love the use of close ups and overall flow of the pages Sagan Sagan creates.

The story itself is also oh so sweet in the way they fall for each other over their dates. They had inspired each other to live and enjoy their lives, leaving deep changes on each other. They’re not drastic in the sense they become completely different people, but enough to find the courage to accept their feelings. Both of Togawa and Nozue’s confessions to each other were a delight, but Nozue’s was especially adorable. Togawa’s response is one of my favorites.

Togawa: I don’t want to be just “a part” of my life. I want you to be all of it.

With Cappuccino is a strong sequel continuing on with their relationship. In a way, it calls back to the end of the first volume, where Togawa hopes they argue and make up more in the future. It may feel like Nozue is regressing in his development as he gets caught up in his thoughts again, but it doesn’t feel like an exact repeat of the first volume. I’m reminded of the scene near the end, on their way to the onsen. Nozue still worries about Togawa changing their jobs. They talk as they walk, until Nozue wants to stop. Togawa once again has a sweet reply. (Thank you Adrienne Beck for the translation of both volumes!)

Nozue: I don’t want to ruin our vacation by fighting.
Togawa: Nozue… What’s wrong with it? Fights are fine. Life isn’t like the movies. Problems don’t end with one solution. You wrestle with them again and again.

Old-Fashioned Cupcake and with Cappuccino, for me, is a love story that isn’t like the movies. It’s not a glamorous romance that sweeps readers off their feet. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore BL like that, but I also love stories grounded in the everyday.

I originally read this story in Japanese and didn’t read it in English until now. Thank you to SuBLime and Edelweiss for the DRC for the first volume! I ended up getting my own copies so now I have both the Japanese tankobon and English translation of the story haha.

If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love by Maru Kubota

If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love by Maru Kubota

by Lys ♥ 1 Comment

EN Title: If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love
JP Title: 君となら恋をしてみても (なら恋)
Romaji: Kimi to Nara Koi wo Shitemite mo (NaraKoi)
Author/Artist: Maru Kubota
Publisher: Yen Press
Publisher Rating: Older Teen
Status: Ongoing (5+ Volumes)

Content Notes: Volume 4 has sexual content

Synopsis
Set on the island of Enoshima (not too far west of Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture) If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love tells the love story of two high school classmates. Amane, a gay teen whose relationships have been strictly physical, prefers not to fall in love. But his chance meeting with Ryuuji just after he arrives turns his plans upside down. The next day, they find out they’re classmates. Having been hurt in the past by a friend after coming out, he jokes to Ryuuji about his sexuality to see how he’ll react. But to his surprise, Ryuuji calmly accepts it. After getting to know Ryuuji better and seeing his kindness toward others, Amane begins to realize his attraction has turned into something more.

Review
With soft artwork and a steady story pace, If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love is a very sweet high school romance BL. While I’m honestly not one to gravitate towards a high school setting, I’ve liked the light yet grounded feeling of the story. I think Maru Kubota does well in introducing the main characters, especially Amane, whose point of view is the most prominent in the first volume. Through his thoughts, actions, and words, readers get a rather clear picture of who he is. I also love the artwork! Even with a simpler art style, her character art is expressive. I especially adore the extra simplified and exaggerated expressions of the characters sprinkled throughout the volume! In addition to character art, the pacing of the panels to story beats keeps the story flowing smoothly.

Volume one is available now, with the next releasing in August. I started reading this story after hearing about it on social media, getting the digital volumes in Japanese. Volume one’s exposition of the story drew me in to want to continue reading on. And if you’ve seen the blurb for volume two, it doesn’t take much longer for Amane to confess! The story then follows them navigating their new relationship, and the sweetness from volume one definitely continues on. Seeing Ryuuji also fall for Amane is a treat, so I’m excited for it to release in English! For those who want an a heartwarming romance story, I definitely recommend If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Yen Press for the DRC for volume 1!

A few weeks ago, there was an exhibition for Hanamaru, the BL magazine If It’s You, I Might Try Falling in Love is in. Amane and Ryuuji were two of the characters featured in the event, so here is an illustration Kubota Maru drew a week into the event! (The thread below this post introduces some of the illustrations that were displayed.)

Lullaby of the Dawn by Ichika Yuno

Lullaby of the Dawn by Ichika Yuno

by Lys ♥ 1 Comment

EN Title: Lullaby of the Dawn
JP Title: 夜明けの唄
Romaji: Yoake no Uta
Author/Artist: Ichika Yuno
Publisher: Tokyopop/LoveLove
Publisher Rating: 16+
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (5+ volumes)


Setting: Fantasy
Content Notes: Non-explicit sexual content, child sexual abuse (from characters’ memories)

I remember seeing Lullaby of the Dawn for the first time on Hoopla, which has a handful of Tokyopop’s BL titles, and being pulled in by the art. Around the time volume 4 released, I finally decided to start reading it. After catching up, I was stunned to hear that it’s Ichika Yuno’s debut work!

Story Overview
Lullaby of the Dawn is set on an island closed off from the rest of the world due to strange creatures that come from the black sea that surrounds it. Only the chosen known as the Kannagi have the powers to defeat them night after night. Picked as children when their hair suddenly turns white, they are slow to age… But they are doomed to a short life, as the fighting in the sea turns their skin an inky black until it consumes them entirely. Feared by the people, they live lonely lives.

The story begins with Alto, a young boy who moves in with his aunt, meeting Elva, the Kannagi of the South. Unaffected by the rumors of the Kannagi, Alto wishes to help Elva. When Alto isn’t attacked by the black sea, Elva allows him to stay. Several years pass and Elva lives beyond the average age of a Kannagi, with his cursed black skin retreated to his fingertips. With the change happening only after Alto’s appearance, they begin to wonder why. The mystery of the island begins to unravel as the two seek answers, and their relationship begins to change as well…

Review
With an intriguing mystery at the heart of the story, Lullaby of the Dawn has been a highly captivating manga. The truth of the island begins to unravel with each volume at a steady pace, building up in a way that keeps readers wanting to know more. The romance between Elva and Alto is also extremely sweet after they recognize their feelings for each other. Ichika Yuno’s combination of strong storytelling and breathtaking artwork has helped captivate many BL fans in Japan, and the manga ranked first in overall pick for the BL Awards in 2022! Lullaby of the Dawn has truly become one of my favorite BL series, and it’s one I could even recommend to non-BL readers because of its strong storytelling. Volume 6 just released in Japan, and I am very eager to read it after all the reveals from volume 5! The English version has a current release date of November.

To address the content note I mentioned, volume 4-5 reveals the Kannagi in the past were exploited for their abilities and often sexually abused as well. Elva too experienced similar abuse by the people who took him in before he became a Kannagi.

Here is a partially animated PV for volume 1! I would seriously love to see this series animated one day.

One last thing to add: Lullaby of the Dawn was featured in MyAnimeList’s You Should Read This Manga 2025 in the Unique Art/Story category! Ichika Yuno wrote a comment for it.

Pink Heart Jam beat 1 by Shikke

Pink Heart Jam beat 1 by Shikke

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EN Title: Pink Heart Jam beat
JP Title: ピンクハートジャム beat
Author/Artist: Shikke
Publisher: SuBLime
Publisher Rating: Mature
EN Publication Status: Ongoing

Setting: Contemporary, university
Content notes: Explicit sexual content

Background Information
SuBLime recently released Pink Heart Jam beat, the sequel to the two volume series Pink Heart Jam. For those unfamiliar with the story, it follows the romance between freshman Yuki Haiga and his senior Ryo Kanae. Haiga joins his university’s rock music club and finds himself drawn to Kanae, a cool guitarist and senior. At an outing with a club, he’s dared to visit a brothel meant for gay men. Haiga, who had been wondering about his sexuality decides to seriously visit one. But when he picks out a place and allows the staff to pick a member for him, he runs into Kanae! After hearing Haiga out, Kanae decides to help Haiga explore. But on campus, Kanae and Haiga’s relationship returns to simply being junior and senior. As Haiga continues his visits and also gets to know Kanae outside the brothel, he finds himself falling in love. Kanae too begins to recognize his own growing feelings and quits being a sex worker. In the end, Haiga confesses and Kanae accepts.

Synopsis
beat picks up three years the last chapter and before the epilogue (after Haiga returns from senior year band camp trip). Despite living together, the two barely see each other because of their schedules. Kanae often works late hours while Haiga struggles to figure out his career path before graduating. Kanae, who knows isn’t the greatest at giving emotional support, wants to support the stressed-out Haiga better. Haiga also wants to be with Kanae more, but doesn’t want to add on to his busy schedule. Haiga also finds himself jealous, after hearing misinformation about Kanae and a friend from Kanae’s older brother. But everything gets set straight in the end after Haiga follows friends’ advice to be open and talk with Kanae. Haiga soon graduates, and gets a surprise performance from Kanae’s band that disbanded after the members graduated, the Cigars.

Review
When I first read Pink Heart Jam, I really appreciated how Shikke she wrote Haiga and his desire to understand his sexuality. I really appreciated the realistic feel of the story, and I was glad to continue feeling it in beat. I enjoyed reading about Kanae and Haiga balancing and navigating their own lives and their relationship in this first volume. The two are a very loving couple, and they resolve tensions calmly and quickly, especially with Haiga’s worries over Kanae’s possible past relationship with Hayashida, his friend and former bandmate. I do feel writing about established couples and their obstacles can be difficult do well, but Shikke is able to continue Kanae and Haiga’s story in a way that keeps readers engaged. With serialization continuing in Japan, I’m excited for the second volume! I look forward to more of SuBLime’s work on the title as well. I really have enjoyed all their other titles they’ve brought to English fans.

Thanks to NetGalley and SuBLime for the DRC!

Pink Heart Jam beat ranked first in the 2025 BL Awards for the Series Category! The first part of the series also placed 3rd for the BLCD (audio drama) Category. Here’s the illustration Shikke drew to commemorate it~

Shout Loud My Heart by Youga Rayri

Shout Loud My Heart by Youga Rayri

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EN Title: Shout Loud My Heart
JP Title: シャウト・ラウド・マイハート
Author/Artist: Youga Rayri
Publisher: Kodansha
Publisher Rating: 18+
EN Publication Status: Complete (1 Volume)

Setting: Contemporary, university
Content notes: Explicit sexual content

Synopsis
University student and guitarist Gen rarely notices the people surrounding him, uninterested in most people outside his friends. But when a vocalist from another band captures attention, Gen finds out that he’s actually one of his classmates! Mika, who’s known as Mike to most, and Gen quickly become close despite Gen’s grumpy attitude and technically being in “rival” bands. When he notices his music changing, he begins to realize his feelings run deeper. Meanwhile, Mika finds Gen’s blunt honesty and demeanor refreshing. With the two falling for each other but not knowing what to say, it’s through music that they are able to convey their honest feelings.

Review
I absolutely love band stories! There really is something so special about connecting and communicating your feelings through music. In the scene where Gen checks out Adam’s (Mika’s band) performance, Youga Rayri wonderfully depicts how Mika’s voice charms him. Despite being a single volume BL, we a glimpse into the characters’ lives and friendships of the characters, which I found really nice. It’s actually through a lot of interactions Mika and Gen have with their friends that help push them to recognize their feelings for each other. But because it’s a single volume BL, the development feels extremely quick! A second volume would have been really nice to give it a bit more depth. I also want to note I that really enjoyed the localization of the dialogue! While I haven’t read it in Japanese, it felt very natural to read and suited the characters given their ages in their early 20s.

Overall, I do recommend the story for those looking for something light and who love band settings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the ARC! Shout Loud My Heart releases on June 17.

Love on the Horizon by Machi Yamashita

Love on the Horizon by Machi Yamashita

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EN Title: Love on the Horizon
JP Title: あした愛かもしれない
Romaji: Ashita Ai Kamoshirenai
Author/Artist: Machi Yamashita
Publisher: Kodansha
Publisher Rating: 16+
EN Publication Status: Complete (2 Volumes)

Setting: Contemporary, university
Content Notes: Non-explicit sexual content

Kodansha released volume 2 of Love on the Horizon just last week! I was pleasantly surprised to see it included extra stories, including a doujinshi (self-published comic). When I found this out, I went and nabbed a copy from my local comic shop.

Synopsis
Love on the Horizon follows two university students who are both in the same club and neighbors. Because of that, helping his upperclassman Yu get home safely after a party regularly became Nagi’s job. Ever since the first time Nagi helped Yu, who clung to him in his sleep, Nagi has been secretly staying and falling asleep beside Yu and quietly leaving later on. When Nagi quietly confesses one night, Yu hears him and returns his feelings. The story then follows the two navigating their new relationship, as both are rather beginners at dating. While Yu has dated in the past, this is the first time he’s truly fallen in love! Volume two continues on months later into their relationship. The two work at deepening their relationship, including the sexual aspect of it. And with Yu’s graduation around the corner, the two have to figure out their plans for the future. Unsure if their goals line up for each other, both hesitate to bring up the topic.

Review
Tensions in the story ease rather quickly, with the two able to eventually convey their thoughts and understand each other without much conflict. The bonus chapters are also sweet, especially the “Atami Trip” story which was originally released last fall as a doujinshi. With BL, it’s common for extra stories to be self-published and sold at doujinshi events. Sometimes authors will host mail orders as well, but they’re generally they have a limited aprint run. Some do have digital versions for sale later on, but it depends on the author. This is the first time I’ve seen extra stories that were originally doujinshi published in English alongside the main story, so I’m really grateful they could be included!

This comic is great for readers looking for a short and sweet slice-of-life. Each chapter is a like a little episode, which string together to give glimpses into Yu and Nagi’s lives. Machi Yamashita’s soft linework gives extra warmth to an already feel-good romance.

Sharing another illustration to end the post. Volume 2 ranked eleventh 2025 BL Awards Emotional Category, so Machi Yamashita drew Nagi and Yu as thanks!

Who is Publishing BL in English?

Who is Publishing BL in English?

by Lys ♥ 1 Comment

Many publishers in the US (and overseas!) have been licensing more and more BL in English in recent years! Tokyopop’s LoveLove imprint is overwhelmingly BL. Seven Seas Entertainment‘s weekly Wonderful Wednesdays licensing announcement often have BL, occasionally making up nearly half of the announced titles. They have been known for licensing many Chinese BL novels (danmei) since late 2021. Indie publisher Denpa has been releasing BL manga under their imprint Kuma. YenPress introduced their imprint Ize Press, whose lineup includes Korean BL manhwa and novels. Penguin Random House now has Inklore, which has also released some BL. More recently, J-Novel Club announced their BL imprint Knight last year, and plan to announce titles soon. These publishers have been announcing a great number of BL, with catalogs that may one day rival long-time BL publishers such as SuBLime and Juné (imprint of Digital Manga Publishing).

Japanese companies and publishers have also started to join in the English market, though digitally. Japanese publisher Takeshobo has their own in-house team and ShuCream previously released their own titles before working with publishers like Tokyopop, who has licensed many titles from ShuCream’s BL magazine from RED. Animate International, a company which mainly focuses on importing goods to Japan, also began to license manga. There are also companies who are both publisher and platform, such as Futekiya (which is now a part of the service Manga Planet), Renta!, and MangaPlaza. Though I said they were mainly digital, Futekiya/Manga Planet and Animate International have actually started to print some of their titles. In the United States, books from both of these publishers are currently available for purchase from Kinokuniya USA.

While there has been an increase in BL overall, there have been little updates on Juné’s releases and ongoing titles. This includes the second edition print of Even So, I Will Love You Tenderly by Kou Yoneda, which released digitally last summer. There has been no announcement regarding the physical print since then. Juné has been licensing BL for over two decades now, but no longer release as much…

As for the types of BL being published, Japanese manga continues to be the largest. However, novels and print versions of webcomics have also been increasingly popular. As previously mentioned, Chinese BL webnovels, known as danmei, has been very popular. Even manhua have been released. Indie publishers of danmei include Hai Tang, Rosmei (Singapore) and Via Lactea (Canada). While Via Lactea books are available through major retailers, Rosmei books can only be purchased through select partner retailers. For indie publishers and manhua, Aloha Comics has published two: the Taiwanese manhua Day Off and Chinese manhua Here U Are. Similar has happened with Korean BL manhwa and webnovels. While Korean BL is primarily released digitally in English, some have been printed. One indie publisher called Publang has recently announced print releases for some of their novel titles.

Outside East Asian BL, Thai BL has also been gaining traction. In particular, novels SOTUS and The Red Thread have gotten Japanese manga adaptations. Both titles are available in English through YenPress.

As a fan, the BL boom is real! And keeping up with titles is definitely costly… In addition to larger US publishers releasing BL novels and comics, there are many smaller publishers whose titles may be worth checking out as well! Hope this was a slightly helpful rundown, even though it may have been information overload.

2025.05.17 Edit:
I forgot to mention indie publisher Star Fruit Books! They have a few BL manga available too, including a self-published series called When Pink Rain Falls.

2025.05.26 Edit: I also forgot to mention BLoved Publishing, another indie publisher who has licensed the Korean BL novel and manhwa adaptation of Dear Benjamin and Japanese BL novel series Deadlock.

2025.07.08: I’ve added more publishers to the list not previously mentioned in this post, including BluPetal, another new publisher staffed by people who have experience at other publishers.

I’ve created a table of publishers that have published BL! Hope to keep this updated.
Here’s a preview:

Last Edited: 2025.07.08

Love in the Palm of His Hand by Rinteku

Love in the Palm of His Hand by Rinteku

by Lys ♥ 1 Comment

EN Title: Love in the Palm of His Hand
JP Title: カメレオンはてのひらに恋をする。(カメ恋)
Romaji: Chameleon wa Tenohira ni Koi wo Suru. (KameKoi)
Author/Artist: Rinteku
Publisher: Square Enix
Publisher Rating: Older Teen
EN Publication Status: Ongoing (3+ volumes)

Setting: Contemporary, university

Love in the Palm of His Hand by Rinteku truly has been one of my favorite BL titles I’ve been reading. Rinteku beautifully conveys the themes of communication and wishing to connect with others with her characters Fujinaga and Keito and their developing relationship.

Story Overview
College student Fujinaga initially meets Keito, who had fallen asleep on him, on the train. Not realizing Keito thanked him for waking him up in sign language, he thought Keito was a foreigner. But when they meet again on campus, Fujinaga learns Keito is deaf. Despite knowing no sign language, Fujinaga’s background as an expressive actor–so expressive to the point of getting little jobs–helps him be able to guess what Keito is signing. Fujinaga’s persistence in making sure he understands Keito and his aptitude for sign language earns him admiration from Keito. Meanwhile, Fujinaga makes sure Keito can understand them when they talk, never minding if he has to repeat himself. Keito notes this, having grown up with many hearing people giving up communicating with him when he can’t understand. These two young men who had difficulties connecting with others begin to form a bond that eventually blossoms into love.

Review
Everything about this manga has blown me away. From the characters’ personal and relationship development to the artwork… I really have been loving it all. Rinteku’s ability to convey movement in the artwork is phenomenal. I’ve found myself really rooting for Fujinaga and Keito, both as individuals and a couple! I’m especially invested in seeing Fujinaga develop more as an actor. Keito has also begun to move toward some goals in vol 3, which just released in Japan last month. I’m definitely excited to continue following along with the series!

Love in the Palm of His Hand is currently serializing in English digitally on Square Enix’s manga reading application Manga UP!, with volume 1 releasing on May 20. As of today, the serialization on Manga UP! has just started releasing chapters from volume 3.

Closing out this post with illustrations Rinteku drew to celebrate the release of volume 3 and volume 2 getting third place in the 2025 BL Awards Emotional Category! (I’ll definitely write up about the BL Awards and Chill Chill in general in the future.)